Three 1st-time ALWS participants, the defending champion and the all-time leading ALWS participant a part of the field for the 96th ALWS.
Three of the eight teams in the 2023 American Legion World Series are making their debut in the event that begins on Thursday at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.
And one of those newcomers, Cheyenne (Wyo.) Post 6, is making even more history as the first ALWS participant from Wyoming in that state’s 92-year history of American Legion Baseball.
Wyoming actually began pursuing ALWS glory in 1928. In the years since — Wyoming didn’t participate in national competition in 1933, 1943 and 1944 — the state has been a Northwest Regional runner-up six times.
Cheyenne, with a state-record 33 Wyoming titles, had made four of those six deep runs, including a regional runner-up finish last season.
Cheyenne (65-15) also has the most victories in the field after going 5-1 to win the Northwest Regional.
With Wyoming making its first ALWS, only two U.S. states are without at least one appearance in the event: Alaska and Vermont.
Ellsworth (Maine) Post 207 and Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Post 671 are the other first-time participants.
Both are also first-time state champions this season. Ellsworth (21-5) went 4-1 to win the Northeast Regional and Cedar Rapids (18-10) went 5-0 to win the Great Lakes Regional.
Troy (Ala.) Post 70 is the defending champion after winning Alabama’s first ALWS title since 1967 in last year’s event. Post 70 (24-5) went 5-0 to win the Mid-South Regional after winning its seventh straight Alabama state championship.
Brooklawn (N.J.) Post 72 has made the ALWS more than any post in the country and will be making its 17th appearance; Post 72 also has four previous ALWS championships (1991, 2001, 2013 and 2014). Brooklawn (27-4) went 4-1 to win the Mid-Atlantic Regional after winning its state-record 31st New Jersey championship.
Lincoln (Neb.) Post 3 is making its third appearance in the ALWS; Post 3 previously advanced to the 1995 and 2006 events. Lincoln (51-10) went 5-1 to win the Central Plains Regional after taking its eighth Nebraska state title.
Florence (S.C.) Post 1 is making its second appearance in the ALWS; Post 1 previously advanced to the 2012 event. Florence (30-5) went 5-1 to win the Southeast Regional after winning its eighth South Carolina state championship.
And League City (Tex.) Post 554 is making its second straight appearance in the ALWS. League City (23-3) went 4-1 to win the Western Regional after winning its 16th Texas state title.
Here’s the schedule of games for the 96th American Legion World Series. Each team will play three games in pool play, with the top two finishers in each division advancing to the semifinals:
Stars Division: Northeast (Ellsworth, Maine), Mid-South (Troy, Ala.), Northwest (Cheyenne, Wyo.), Western (League City, Tex.)
Stripes Division: Mid-Atlantic (Brooklawn, N.J.), Southeast (Florence, S.C.), Great Lakes (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Central Plains (Lincoln, Neb.)
Aug. 10 (games available on ESPN3)
Game 1: Cheyenne (Wyo.) Post 6 vs. League City (Tex.) Post 554, 10 a.m.
Game 2: Brooklawn (N.J.) Post 72 vs. Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Post 671, 1 p.m.
Game 3: Ellsworth (Maine) Post 207 vs. Troy (Ala.) Post 70, 4 p.m.
Game 4: Florence (S.C.) Post 1 vs. Lincoln (Neb.) Post 3, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 11 (games available on ESPN3)
Game 5: Ellsworth (Maine) Post 207 vs. Cheyenne (Wyo.) Post 6, 4 p.m.
Game 6: Troy (Ala.) Post 70 vs. League City (Tex.) Post 554, 7 p.m.
Aug. 12 (games available on ESPN3)
Game 7: Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Post 671 vs. Florence (S.C.) Post 1, noon
Game 8: Brooklawn (N.J.) Post 72 vs. Lincoln (Neb.) Post 3, 3 p.m.
Game 9: Troy (Ala.) Post 70 vs. Cheyenne (Wyo.) Post 6, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 13 (games available on ESPN3)
Game 10: Ellsworth (Maine) Post 207 vs. League City (Tex.) Post 554, 1 p.m.
Game 11: Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Post 671 vs. Lincoln (Neb.) Post 3, 4 p.m.
Game 12: Brooklawn (N.J.) Post 72 vs. Florence (S.C.) Post 1, 7 p.m.
Aug. 14 (games available on ESPNU)
Game 13: Stripes division winner vs. Stars division runner-up, 4 p.m.
Game 14: Stars division winner vs. Stripes division runner-up, 7 p.m.
Aug. 15 (game available on ESPNU)
Game 15: Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
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